OPINION
The cost to play Claude McIntosh Mac’s Musings
EDITORIAL@cornwallseawaynews.com
I’m not sure how financially challenged families afford to have one child playing minor hockey let alone two or three. Perhaps they can’t and that is why the number of kids enrolled in minor hockey has plunged over the years. When baby boomers were growing up, it cost about $10 to register for the Cornwall Minor Hockey Association house league program which had about 1,000 players. And all you needed were a $1.25 hockey stick that was expected to last the season, a 10 cent roll of black tape, a pair of hand-me-down skates, a pair of hockey stockings and shin pads. Some kids even had real hockey gloves, pants and shoulder pads. Today it costs around $650 to register a child for house league. And that is just the tip of the financial iceberg. Because not enough kids sign up, it is not possible to have an in-house schedule. So, the one or two division clubs play in a league that includes outlying communities whose programs are also strapped for players. That means travelling. And that takes a car, time and money, which puts some kids on the sidelines. The end-of-season bill - registration, equipment, travel and tournaments - for one house league skater easily surpasses $2,000. But that is chump change for what it costs parents with a kid on one of the elite teams where a second mortgage might be an option. We’ve come a long way from the days of the frozen pond and kids using the Eaton’s catalogue for shin pads. THIS WEEK IN 1966 - Cornwall Royals suffered a heart-breaking loss in a sold-out Halifax Forum when the Maritime champion
Canadiens scored with 48 seconds left in the third period to beat the Ontario squad 6-5 and take the Memorial Cup playdown series in seven games. Jean Payette had three goals for the Royals with Bob Deschamps and Pete Prevost adding one apiece. Cornwall goalie Harold Murphy made 41 saves. ... Domtar long-service club added 29 members. Lucide Lamesse received a 45-year pin while A. C. Pitts and B. R. Tilton were given 40-year pins. ... Cornwall Township asked the OMB to approve financing to provide the Long Sault Arena with an artificial ice plant. The township had taken over the arena as a Centennial project. ... The parks and recreation committee recommended that a consulting engineer be hired to study the possibility of expanding seating capacity at the Water Street Arena to 4,800 from 1,800. ... Billy Carter of Cornwall had 16 goals and 45 assists while playing for AHL Buffalo Bisons. AROUND AND ABOUT Few weeks back we wondered how Bonville got its name. South Stormont historian Don McIntosh came up with the answer. The name has its roots in Ireland. Don says the Irishman who “conned” the Scottish residents into re-naming the hamlet (Glenco) after an Irish village was a fast-talking entrepreneur named Pete Gibbons. Legend has it Gibbons owed a lot of money to local farmers/investors. He was last seen making a dash via horse and buggy to catch a train in Apple Hill, never to be seen again. (Hey, does this have a familiar ring?) At one time, the hamlet had two hotels and a post office. ... For the first ever, the field of Democratic presidential candidates will outnumber of horses in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. ... Cornwall Fire Department marked a milestone last week when its first female firefighter reported for duty. HERE AND THERE Tell me it isn’t true, that some police service boards in Ontario reward a police chief with a six-figure retirement bonus just for fulfilling a multi-year contract. ... Why do sneakers come with laces
that are 18 inches too long? ... Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized to a woman protester for his smart-ass “thanks for your donation” remark at a Liberal fundraiser as she was being escorted out of the hall. But let’s not forget that the quip drew a loud ovation from his Liberal audience who seemed to see nothing wrong with the rebuke. ... In the provincial NDP ranks, a member apologized to Ottawa police after claiming in the Legislature that Ottawa cops are racists. His remarks drew a thunderous applause from the NDP caucus which includes the brother of the NDP federal leader who once was photographed with a protest sign that read “F.... the police”. Cop hating must run in the family. ... Well, how did you enjoy our two days of spring? NEW FLASH: Wiar ton Willie has joined Punxsutawney Phil in the witness protection program. ... And what about the country’s most respect weather guru David Phillips who on March 2 said winter would hang on until mid-March then we would be basking in the warmth of spring with above seasonal temps. SPORTS STUFF Jim Robinson closed the season on a winning note claiming the senior men’s Bray Construction closing bonspiel. Robinson’s rink went through the round-robin draw with a near-perfect record (no losses, one tie) before taking the 12-rink final round. Backing him up were third Brian Clinton, second Yvon Lemire and lead Ken Waller. Gerry Goulet (Roger Comtois third, Bob Cameron second, Bob Humble lead) took second. Lionel Beauregard (Joe Lemire third, Ron Campeau second, Guy Lalonde lead) finished third. Rene Desrosiers was awarded the Spirit of Curling Award. Guy Lalonde was named best first-year player. Don Orton was made an honourary member. ... No question Bob Cole was one of the best but I put him behind Foster Hewitt, Danny Gallivan and Dan Kelly. ... The end of the regular season is when general managers cover their mistakes by firing the
coach. TRIVIA This United Counties’ school took its name from the Algonquin word for meeting place. TRIVIA ANSWER Pernell-Karl Subban was born and raised in Toronto. His father, a retired school principal, and mother immigrated to Canada from Jamaica in the 1970s. HERE AND THERE To accommodate aging baby boomers, it might be time to rename some of the Sixties’ hits. How about Splish, Splash, I Was Havin’ a Flash”, On the Commode Again, It’s My Procedure and I’ll Cry If I Want To, Denture Queen, How Can You Mend a Broken Hip?, You Make Me Feel Like Napping, A Whiter Shade of Hair, Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Walker, and Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom. ... Remember when you had to crank a car window up and down and driver’s ed included learning hand signals. P FACTS’N’FIGURES In the 10-year period 1951-1960 St. Columban’s, the city’s oldest parish, had 1,916 baptisms, 618 marriages and 914 funerals. The number of funerals was down from the previous decade which had 1,011. AND THE BEAT GOES ON Kirk Douglas 102 (he was born Issur Danielovitch), Doris Day 97, Gina Lollobrigida 91, Clint Eastwood 88, Raquel Welch 78, rockers Keith Richards and Mick Jagger 75 (they just look 95). ONE FINAL THING “The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided.” - Legendary baseball manager Casey Stengel. His musings became know as “Stengelese”.
7556946
Suggested servings. Limited quantity, while supplies last. Available in dining room at participating St-Hubert rotisseries only. ® Registered trademark of St-Hubert L.P., used under licence. © All rights reserved.
www.cornwallseawaynews.com - Seaway News - Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 9
705 Brookdale Avenue, CORNWALL 613 937-4644 or st-hubert.com